I DO not seek to minimise the disruption and fear which can be caused by youths using Helensburgh town centre as a focal point for disorder and general mayhem. And nor do I underplay the difficulties this can pose for residents, commuters and station staff.

But there has to be a better solution than deploying Mosquito devices, which are specifically aimed at young people under the age of 25 whose hearing will tune into high pitched sounds which don’t affect older adults.

For one thing, this device will affect anyone in that age group who happens to be in the vicinity perfectly legitimately and causing nobody any harm.

That was the principal objection made when the device was first installed at Hamilton’s main station after it had an outbreak of anti social behaviour.

But as local youngsters were quick to point out, the Mosquito didn’t just make life uncomfortable for miscreants.

That’s why bodies as various as the European Union parliamentary group and the United Nations have all urged that the sales and installation of the devices be banned.

For me it smacks too much of demonising one section of society because of the behaviour of a minority within it.

Let me draw a particular analogy. I flew from Bristol to Glasgow this week on a plane with a fair sprinkling of drunk men aged around the forty mark. They were loud, intrusive, messed up the loos and tried to get the airline staff to feed them more beers.

Nobody would reasonably suggest that all men of the same age should be prevented from travelling on airline services in order to prevent lager loutishness.